The France don't want our British blood !!!! I have been here with my wife for over 20 years now and they still will not let us give blood. Here is what it says on the French Website say about people that were in the UK from 1980-1996 can not give blood (Google translate)

In case of stay in Britain for more than 12 months accumulated between 1980 and 1996, blood donation is prohibited. Indeed, there is a theoretical risk of transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy or " mad cow disease" . This is an application of the precautionary principle.

That means my self and my wife and my son can not give blood in france what i would like to know is can anyone in the UK that has been in france give blood as they had madcows as well, over here at the same time as we did ?

When I was working on the Queen Mary in the 60s, guys would go to sell their blood every 2 weeks, in New York, for I think, 15 dollars, even though they were supposed to wait for quite a time before doing so. They were always American down and outs, drunks and whatever also queuing. Nothing was said!

I applied/offered to give blood in France in 1989. I was toldI needed to wait 15 years before I would have the right to donate blood in France having previously been living in the uk for a few years. I was 35 at the time.

I applied /offered to give blood again in 2004 when the 15 years had passed only to be told I was too old at 50 to give blood in France !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It’s not just the French. I donate blood in the Netherlands and also here, if you’ve lived in the UK for six months between 1980-1996 you are not allowed to donate blood. This isn’t because we (nor the French) don’t want your British blood, since anyone who lived in the UK AFTER 1996 is allowed to donate blood just fine. This has to do with the Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. They still don’t have a test suitable for donor blood to detect cjd, so that’s why. This way of thinking really tires me. The safety of donors and receivers are always the most important thing at stake!